I don’t think it’s enough for players to just win matches, and get a lot of money, along with a trophy here and there. There needs to be something more, that’s why I impose on handing out (figuratively) awards to the deserving at each major. Why you may ask? Well, it’s because they have fragile egos, and they need the boost. So without further introduction I present the 2010 US Open Awards.

The Bennett Snyder Trophy: Awarded to the Best Player of the Tournament

Tie between Rafa Nadal and Kim Clijsters. They both only dropped one set on their way to winning the entire tournament. However, Nadal plays a best of 5 while Kim only plays a best of 3. What ends up helping Kimmy is that because she finished second in the summer series she got a big bonus and her final check was 2.2 million while Rafa’s was only 1.7 million.

(I like to name the trophy of the best player after me because I can, along with the fact that it sounds more official. Kind of like the college football awards where they say the Groza award and Doak Walker award, and the common fan doesn’t know what the heck is going on until they finish the sentence and say the Groza award for best kicker.)

The Paris Hilton Award: Given to the player for best on court accessory.

While Clijsters might have edged out Rafa for the biggest check, he could just sell the watch he wears while playing to make up the difference. The 500k+ watch gives Rafa the edge to take home this award. According to the reports, this same expensive watch was stolen over the summer from the players locker room in Toronto. Why he would keep a 525 thousand dollar watch in a locker room that isn’t guarded by armed police I wouldn’t know.

(Is Paris Hilton the right person to name this award after? She wears accessories right? I don’t know, I hope so, or this award now seems dumb.)

The Fed-Rafa Wimbeldon Award: Award for best match of the tournament.

This was a really tough one. The Venus vs Clijsters match was great, and in a semifinal. The Ferrer vs Verdasco was a marathon, a great comeback which finished in a 5th set tiebreaker, and literally ended on one of the best shots of the tournament. However, I think this award goes to the Federer vs Djokovic match. It was a long 5 sets, it was in the semifinals, the quality of points in the 5th set were amazing, with Djokovic showing some heart and saving match points, just overall exciting and great.

(This has a weird award name but it is named after the greatest match of all time, the Federer vs Nadal Wimbeldon Final back in 2008, the most epic of matches.)

The Dave Chappelle Award: For funniest quote during an interview at this tournament.

Novak Djokovic takes home this award, as he is usually in the running for this one every time with his brash unforgiving one liners. In the first round, playing in horrendous heat, the shade finally came out on the court which lifted the Djoker to the victory. He had this to say about the aforementioned shade, ” I don’t know how to describe it, it was kind of like a sleeping with my girlfriend type of feeling”.

(Named after Dave Chappelle because he is the funniest man alive, no debate there.)

The Mario Tennis Award: The award for most amazing shot.

This was a very close one between Verdasco’s shot and its meaningfulness, and Federer’s video game like ridiculousness. Verdasco makes a full sprint on match point from behind the baseline to the other side at net and hits a ball that curves, like a bullet in the movie Wanted, to win in a 5th set tiebreaker. That is pretty special. However the award goes to Federer because to hit a between the leg shot is hard enough, but to do it, and hit a winner while the opponent is still standing at the baseline is almost impossible, pretty much could only happen in a video game.

(This award is named after the fun video game Mario Tennis, where hitting ridiculous shots were normal.)

The There’s Always Next Year Award: Awarded to player who came close, fell short, but still has a bright future.

Caroline Wozniacki edges out Djokovic for this award. She dominated all of her matches but just had one bad day against an inferior opponent and lost in the semifinals to Vera Zvonereva. She is only 20 and actually improved from last year all around even though her results don’t show that. She also won the Stole My Heart award but that is a different article all together

(This award is pretty self-explanatory.)

The Fading Star Award: Player who now looks like their prime is over.

Andy Roddick wins this award hands down. He hadn’t had an exit this early since the whole “Who Stole Andy’s MOJO” campaign. Once a winner of the US Open, now seems like he might just be an opponent at this point as his ranking keeps slipping. Don’t feel too bad for him because remember, he is super rich and his wife is Brooklyn Decker. I did however, never find out who stole Andy’s MOJO, it looks like it might have been that guy from the FX show The League.

(This is one award you do not want to win, kind of like the Tin Man award for least amount of heart. I would have done the TM Award this year but Andy Murray win’s it every tournament so it is kind of getting repetitive, and he keeps calling me to stop giving him the award.)

Special Award- The Grinch Award

I don’t usually do this award that is why this is special. The Grinch award is something you want to win although the name sounds bad. This is given to a player who once showed lack of heart in big matches (like retiring 9 times from matches in grand slams), and then all of the sudden turning it around like he just heard the Who’s down in Whoville singing on Christmas morning, and showing a ton of heart. Novak Djokovic wins this award after pulling off this accomplishment. He was down 2 sets to 1 and a break to a fellow Serb in the first round, and in the Semi’s vs Federer was down 2 sets to 1 and even faced two match points. In recent years he definitely would have lost these matches.

The Under Suspicion Award

It wasn’t like this at Wimbledon and even a month ago when he played at Cincinnati but all of the sudden Rafa Nadal’s serve is powerful. He used to serve about 107 mph average, his fastest being 120ish. Now at the US Open his average serve speed was about 118 mph and he hit a serve about 136. Where did this extra 15 mph come from? He said “confidence” and “change of grip” but to instantly gain 15 mph out of nowhere is suspicious, I hope I am just being paranoid.

Special Award – This one is an amazing story some of you might of heard about Esther Vergeer. She plays on the Woman’s wheelchair tennis events and has won 396 matches in a row. She beat her finalist opponent on Sunday 6-0 6-0. She hasn’t lost since 2003. I don’t care what you are doing, or what sport you are playing this is amazing. I can’t think of one thing I could do almost 400 times in a row without losing, so I say Bravo to her and keep on dominating. This ends the award ceremony, drive home safely

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Written by Bennett Snyder
Recently graduated from Temple University with a degree in Journalism. I have been a sports fan since before I could speak. While every kids dream of making it to the professional level didn't work out for me, I still have a strong desire to be around sports 24/7. I was born and live in Philadelphia, but spent most of my life in central New Jersey, so this tri-state area of NJ/NY/PA is my forte. If you have any questions you would like to ask just email me, no matter which sport, because i follow them all except golf and nascar.